FILÒFILÒ

A Journal for Tyrolean AmericansA Journal for Tyrolean AmericansSummer 2014Summer 2014

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An Introduction . . . An Introduction . . .

The Filò is to be published and distributed on a quarterly basis and is targeted to the chil-dren of our immigrant parents. The Filò (pronounced fee-lò) was the daily gathering in thestables of the Trentino where the villagers met and socialized. The intent is to provide asummary of our culture, history, and customs in plain English to inform and provide youwith the background of your roots and ancestry.. If you wish to contact us, call LouBrunelli at 914-402-5248. Attention: Your help is needed to expand our outreach to fellowTyrolean Americans. Help us identify them, be they your children, relatives or acquaintanc-es. Go to filo.tiroles.com and register on line to receive the magazine free of charge. Youmay also send your data to Filò Magazine, PO Box 90, Crompond, NY 10517 or fax themto 914-734-9644 or submit them by email to filo.tiroles@att.net.

Front Cover: Carè Alto

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Credit for the PoorCredit for the Poorn the previous issue of Filò, we learned about theestablishment of rural credit unions as well asconsumer and agricultural cooperatives. Now wewill delve a little deeper into each of these three

developments starting with the credit unions. The 'cassarurale' or local credit union was born in answer to a needfor ready credit expressed by both peasants and artisans.In general, these were the poorer classes, that is, themajority of the population. These workers could notobtain credit from traditional banks as they were not in aposition to guarantee their loans with mortgages. Andyet, these people had an urgent need of money to buy ahome, or a head of cattle, or just to meet their dailyneeds. According to a study of that time (1880), these

workers werehandicapped by alack of innovationand little or nomechan iza t ion ,both due to thescarcity of money.And yet, statedthis same study,the peasant, theowner of land,often has need ofmoney 'up front',and it should beobtainable withoutputting a lien onhis property.

In the Tyrol, there was no shortage of money, nor wasthere a lack of banking institutions capable of circulatingthat money. But for the most part, the peasants were notin a position to obtain any of it. Their land holdings weresmall and fragmented, and impossible to mortgage.Interest rates were often very high, and small loans withvery short terms, often less than a month, were thenorm. But the peasant's productivity was based on ayearly cycle. Faced with this situation, those who did notemigrate had to come up with an alternative. FriedrichWilhelm Raiffeisen was the man who suggested the solu-tion. In Germany, and particularly in the Rhineland, hehad come up with a wondrous idea - have the poor gettogether and launch their own bank, facilitating access tocredit and so obtaining a broader base for spending andinvesting. The idea seemed bizarre - there was no money

and it would be difficult to find enough to fund a bank,even the unique bank he had in mind. And yet,Raiffeisen's institute, which all of the credit unions in theTyrol copied, configured itself as a bank without capital.Upon joining each member contributed a symbolicquota. The mechanism worked because of the ability toreach a criticalmass, putting together the small posses-sions of the peasant - his land, his home, his livestockand his tools. Taken singly none of these had muchvalue, but altogether they became enough to obtain mar-ket credit at more favorable rates. This arrangementwould only be successful with the unlimited solidarity ofthe members. Each member was responsible for the col-lective debt, that is the debt the credit union undertookfrom the traditional banks. Each member pledged hisown property to meet all the obligations assumed togeth-er. This was no small matter! It meant that each membermight be burdened by the errors, the fraud, and theopportunism of the others.

And yet the credit unions flourished. Why? Each ruralcredit union was small, it operated in its own limited ter-ritory, and in a climate of trust. Every member knew allabout every other member and so could foresee proba-ble difficulties and know who the less trustworthy asso-ciates were. And so they could proceed with all necessarycaution. The 'cassa rurale' became the means of render-ing 'bankable', that is worthy of credit, even those whohad not been able to deal with the traditional banks ontheir own. This was an important step, providing the cap-ital for rural development.

Written by Professor Alberto Ianes, Museo Storico

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Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen

1896 - First Administrative Meeting of the Casse Rurali under thedirection of Don Guetti

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894. Exactly 120 years ago, the first whitestones were dug out of the mountain at Darzo.A man from Brescia, in search of veins of ironore, came upon the barite, a heavy, easily crum-

bled stone, which, at that time, was ground up and usedfor making dyes. Since then multiple uses have beenfound for this mineral. It was used as ballast for shipsand submarines during the Second World War, as insula-tion around oil wells, as blocks shielding operating roomsand radiology equipment, and in making varnishes.

120 years ago, in this small Italian village a few kilome-ters from the Austro-Hungarian border, a gold rushbegan - not for Klondike type gold, but for the poorer'white gold', that is, for barite. Many tried to dig here andthere on the steep mountain slopes, but few were suc-cessful. Most of them invested money and hard worktrying to exploit thin veins; some even erected cable cars,but most quit in a hurry. The small entrepreneurs werefollowed by larger enterprises which succeeded in dig-ging deep furrows among the larches and firs, and for awhile brought economic and social development to thecommunity. The three largest companies were: CornaPellegrini della Valcamonica, (the first to open and thelast to shut down); Maffei della Valsassina, for manyyears the largest; and Cirna di Milano, the smallest mine,last to open and first to close.

Generations of the valley's people worked with the bari-um sulfate, some in the mines and others in the process-ing plants. The process was a simple one: excavating tun-nels, extracting the material, transport by cable car to theprocessing plant, where the material was sorted and clas-sified before being ground. The final step was transportby truck to the end user. Without a doubt, the hardestjob was that of the miner, who spent the work week inthe bowels of the mountain eating dust and always at riskof becoming the victim of an explosion. The hard work

and risk made the miners proud of their work - it wasn’tjust anyone who could do their job! When the cable caroperator sent a load down from the mountain, therewere girls and young men waiting to start the processing.These were young girls who were spared going to Milanas servants, and men who were able to remain at home,rather than emigrate to work in the mines of the UnitedStates or on the ranches of Argentina. If the menentered the factory before doing their military service,they were likely to remain until they reached pension age.Not so the girls! Once they married, they remained athome and assumed the role of mother, as was expectedin that old-fashioned society.

The sun began to set on the barite industry in the 1960'sand 70's, with the inevitable depletion of the small veinsof the mineral. One by one, the plants shut down, withCorna Pellegrini surviving until 2009. Some smallerestablishments continued to operate by importingquartz, feldspar and barite. But the white gold fever haddied out. Another era began. From the barite industry grew a webof artisans and craftsmen, which is now the backbone ofthe local economy. Mechanics, electricians, carpenters,and truck drivers started out in the industry, later estab-lishing their own businesses by first serving the industrythey had left. But in time, and thanks to their own deter-mination and some help from credit cooperatives, theylearned to stand on their own two feet and even toemploy some of their ex-colleagues. Such is the legacy ofthe mining industry at Darzo. Lest this legacy be forgot-ten, an association, La Miniera, has undertaken to collectartifacts and to tell the story in videos, books, shows andmurals. Their website is www.minieredarzo.it. Written by Giuliano Beltrame, school teacher for manyyears, Director and President of the of SocialCooperative, Cassa Rurale and Familia Cooperativa, anda contributing writer to the Adige newspaper

The “White Gold Rush” in Darzo The “White Gold Rush” in Darzo

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House Mural from the Village of Darzo

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ilk…Cheese…Butter…These are the ele-ments of the trinity of the Tyrolean cui-sine, quite different and distinctive fromthe Mediterranean cuisine. The Alpine ter-

rain from the Tyrol up and through the Bavarian Alpssuggests this culture and tradition. All the villages in theTyrol were affiliated to a malga. A malga was a shep-herd’s hut situated in an elevated Alpine pasture thatafforded an abundance of pasturage. Every summer, thecows along with the sheep and the goats that were rearedin the fondovalle, the valley’s “bottom”, were led up tothese pastures usually owned by the local town or con-

sortium of villages, toexploit the rich grazingareas. At the malga, therewas the production of but-ter, cheese and ricotta.These products were thenbrought down to the vil-lages and shared propor-tionately by all thoseinvolved in this cooperative.

The life and activity of themalga was totally focusedon the pasturing of thecows and the productionof…formai e botér…butterand cheese. There were twodaily milking of the cows:one in the early morningand the other in the lateafternoon. During the day

between the milking, the casaro…the chief dairy person,would dedicate himself to the production of the butterand cheese while the shepherds tended to the tending ofthe cows as they meandered in the pastures.

Lat...Formai...BotérLat...Formai...Botér

The butter was produced with the milk of the second orevening milking. It was placed in bacinelle di affioramen-to, basins in which the cream would emerge. It was leftto rest throughout the night in a place well ventilated. Inthis way, the cream would rise and would be captured bya spannarola, a type of very large spoon with a shorthandle made in wood or copper. The “fat” part, thecream, was placed in the zangola (see illustration) whereit was churned for a long time until the butter wasformed. This yellow paste product was separated fromthe residual milk and cleansed with fresh water. It wascarefully kneaded. Its final step, it was placed in woodenforms often decorated with designs. Every week, the but-ter produced at the Malga was brought down to the fon-dovalle, the bottom of the valley for local use and localsale. Just prior to bringing the cattle up in the spring anddown in the fall, in some valleys, they brought to anintermediate location to graze and produce butter andcheese. In other valleys, the cattle returned to their own-ers and the milk was brought to the caseficio, the localdairy who churn butter for those who participated in thecooperative. Butter was also churned in the individualkitchens with the zangola. In the mountainous areas, but-ter constituted the only fat using in cooking. Written by Daniela Finardi, Mueso dei Usi e Costumidella Gente Trentina

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Malga Stabio - Val delle Giudicarie

Zangola in the Home

A Malaga Zangola and butter forms displayed a Mueso dei Usi e Costumi della Gente Trentina

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Family Stories: Nonni Papaleoni Family Stories: Nonni Papaleoni y nonno, Severino "Topsy" Papaleoni, leftthe mountain village of Daone in the Valde Giudicarie in search of new opportuni-ty in the United States. He arrived by

boat to Ellis Island in 1903, and like many otherTyroleans of that era, settled in a small town on the out-skirts of Syracuse called Solvay, NY. After establishinghimself in the community, he sent for my nonna, MariaCadona, still living in Daone, to join him. They weremarried in the USA shortly after her arrival in 1911.They raised a family of six children in Solvay, NY, one ofwhich is my mother, Irene Papaleoni Benedetti.

My nonno was a true entrepreneur of his time. He ranhis own business, first a grocery store then a hardwarestore. Nonno purchased a large commercial buildingthat served as both a home to the family and a storefrontto Papaleoni Hardware (pictured below). The locationwas ideal, situated across the street from Solvay Process,a large chemical processing plant that employed manyTyrolean emigrants. On the second floor of the familybuilding was a boarding house where my nonna rentedsimply furnished but comfortable rooms to local men.Many of these men were fellow Tyroleans who recentlyimmigrated to the USA in need of a place to stay whilethey settled into the area. Soon they would send for theirfamilies and wives to join them, but in the meantime, mynonna provided clean and welcoming accommodationsthey could call home.

My most vivid memory of this old building is the basement, where I often played as a child. At the bottom of

the stairs was a dark, cool room with dirt floors. Alongthe walls stood rows of large wooden wine barrels that-seemed to encircle the room. To this day I can still smellthe fragrant aroma of the aging grapes that filled thisspace. Not wanting to waste any part of the grape, afterwine making, the leftover skins and pulp were distilled toproduce grappa. The red wine and grappa were enjoyedby family and friends, but were also a means of incomefor my grandparents. My mother recalls Nonna selling“coffee royal "(coffee with grappa) to the roomingboarders each morning for 10 cents a cup. A gallon ofgrappa sold for five dollars. During the Prohibition era,Nonno's hardware truck (pictured below) doubled astransport for "special deliveries" to local speakeasies.Hidden compartments inside the truck cleverly con-cealed the potent cargo.

Even in today's global economy, it's hard for me to imag-ine emigrating to a foreign country where you know veryfew people, are not fluent in the language, and bring lit-tle more with you than the clothes on your back. I amproud of my nonni for their courage and conviction, andam grateful that their journey allowed future generationsof Papaleoni descendants to enjoy a life of prosperityand opportunity in the United States. Honoring ourTyrolean roots by celebrating our heritage and preservingour traditions is a way to thank all those that came beforeus. Written by their granddaughter Mary Benedetti Kyryk ofthe Philadelphia, PA area.

Nonno Papaleoni’s Hardware Store Nonni Papaleoni: Severino & Maria; their children: Irene, Anna, Fiorindo, Edith, Alyce, Esther

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A Canticle to the Valley A Canticle to the Valley

Quante voci per ogni paese, quanti dialetti per questa valle, i monti e il lago ci portano in spalle per poi capir la bellezza cos'è.

Le onde azzurre riflettono il cielo e in quell'immenso un volo d'uccelli che nel migrare si fermano in sosta dentro i canali e numerosi canneti.

Lassù su una roccia il nostro castello che domina il lago e fa guardia al ruscello,che scendendo a valle tra rivoli d'acquadiventa un fiume ancora più bello.

Paesaggi stupendi regalano i monti tra galli cedroni e fagiani di monte,le malghe biancastre e i mughi imponentie i forti abbattuti nei combattimenti.

Battaglie aspre quassù sul confine che i nostri avi ricordano bene,ma noi valligiani senza tante pretesevi invitiamo a trovarci nella Valle del Chiese.

How many voices through every villageHow many dialects throughout the valleyThe mountains and the lake bear us on their shoul-ders and have us understand what beauty is.

The blue waves reflect the skyIn that vastness, a flight of birdsWho in their travel, stop and linger Along the streams and bushes…

Up there on a rock is our castleWhich dominates the lake & keeps guard at thebrook which descends to the valley as rivuletsBecoming a yet lovelier river

The stupendous villages celebrate the mountainsAlong with mountain quails and pheasants The whitened huts and the imposing bushesAnd the forts battered in the warfare.

Bitter battles up here at the borderRemembered well by our ancestorsBut we valley folk without pretenseInvite you to visit us in the Valley of the Chiese

he songs of our people often dwell on their love and admiration of their ever present and ever visiblemountains and valleys that surround and cradle their villages. Their environment fascinates and providesthem with a distinctive identity. The song Valle del Chiese captures this quasi rapture. The lyrics areinspired by the place of origin, from their beloved mountains, from their labor, and the war tragically

experienced. Such songs always and above all reflect the hope and the love of our people. TT

Coro ValchieseThe Choir has have performed throughout the Trentino,Germany, Austria and in New York. Like so many of thechoirs of the Trentino, they seek to preserve the richheritage and folk traditions of its distinctive music sungfor generations in the piazzas, osterie, and the filòs intheir stables. The song Val del Chiese was written byMartino Cimarolli and put to music by its choir director,Dario Donati. You can go to their websitewww.corovalchiese.com as well as the Filò’s website tolisten to the song. The website is filo.tiroles.com

Coro Valchiese

VALLE DEL CHIESE

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Our Cuisine: Polenta Carbonera Our Cuisine: Polenta Carbonera eeping in mind that our people have been referred to as polen-toni, polenta carbonera is quite typical and even symbolic of theVal del Chiese. At the same time, it could be said that polenta isthe quasi symbol of Solvay, New York where there is an enor-

mous concentration of our people from the Giudicarie-Val del Chiese.Solvay is possibly the American community that has maintained its Tyroleantraditions and identity like no other. Each month, they host a Polenta mealfor 250 people who get invited by rotation. It certainly could be declared thePolenta Capitol of the USA.

In preparing this article, I consulted both with Peter Albrigo, President of the Tyrol Club of Solvay along with RobCazzolli, its past President, the hosts of Solvay monthly Polenta meal and a Mauro Armanini, owner of the AgriturLa Polentera in Storo, Val del Chiese. Polenta Carbonera combines traditional polenta with fresh salamini, butter,soft, hard and grated cheeses. Since we are not in the Val del Chiese, the ingredients have to be accommodated to

what we have available in our local stores and supermarkets here in the USA.Specifically, the Val del Chiese recipe insists on Farina Gialla da Storo, a coarse cornmeal that has not been degerminated, their fresh salamini and the area’s spressa and aharder cheese. In Solvay, they have located special grain stores and have Italian provi-sion outlets that offer similar salamini for the recipe. To the left is the famed PolentaGialla of Storo…to its right is a possible substitute Bob’s Coarse Polenta Flour foundin many supermarkets in the organic food section. Yet spressa, a product of that areais not readily found so that one could substitute two cheeses: a Muenster and mildcheddar. Sometimes one can find a coarse corn meal in a health food store but I alsofound Bob’s Red Mill Coarse Grind polenta flour at a local supermarket. For thesausage, I would suggest a lucanica linkless sausage or some variety of such. Here isthe combination Storo/Solvay recipe. I must presume that there is a basic under-

standing of polenta making…or go to very first issue of the Filò to see greater detail…filo.tiroles.com. Mom nevermeasured neither do I…water to the brim…a just enough polenta flour to maintain a soft mixture.

Ingredients: 2 pounds of polenta flour, ½ tablespoon of salt, 2 pounds of sweet sausage, ½ lb of butter, ½ pd.Of Cheddar cheese and ½ lb. of Muenster cheese, ½ cup of Parmesan grated cheese, black pepper, possibly 2 cupsof white wine to the sausage mixture, optional caramelized onions

Procedure: Boil water adding salt, melt a half pound of butter until it browns, and add the sausage without its cas-ing until it is almost caramelized. After about 40 minutes stirring the polenta, introduce the sausage and then thecheeses finishing it with the grated cheese and black pepper. Keep the cheese from totally melting to maintain theirtexture. Mauro at la Polentera serves the polenta carbonera with verze (boiled cabbage) or Krauti (sourkraut) andslices of Gongozola cheese.

KK

Agritur-La Polentera-Storo Polenta Carbonera Monthy Polenta Dinner-Solvay, NY

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ather Bonifacio Bolognaniwas a significant and pivotalfigure in the history of ourcommunity in the United

States. He was a Franciscan friar, origi-nating from Vigo Cavedine in the Valdei Laghi and he spent 22 years with ustraveling all over the country eversearching for our people in whateverplace they found themselves. No onehas had the impact and significance thathe had for our community. The detailsof his biography will be found in futureissues of the Filò. What follows aresome interpretations and reflections ofhis role as our apostle and pastor…aswell as our sociologist and champion.

Fr. “Bonny” was truly a Tyrolean.Born in 1915 in the Tyrol, a citizenin the Austrian Hungarian Empire,he became a priest in 1938. In 1948,he came to the USA with theunique and singular mission ofworking with the “Tirolesi”. Thiswas his mission, his apostolate,going from one community after

another preaching the Word of God…and bringing thepresence of our emigrants` relatives and lands. As hetraveled, he observed and collected data about where ourpeople were, what work they did, and how they lived. Assuch, he was our historian and sociologist. His data wasneither scientific nor empirical. He simply recordedwhatever he learned about us. I recall as a boy, FrBolognani would stop by our apartment in GreenwichVillage in NYC…This would prompt my mom to imme-diately run around the neighborhood like Paul Revere.She would gather several Tyrolean families with their chil-dren. Mom would cook and feed everyone while we chil-dren recorded his many contacts on index cards. He leftwith data and contributions from those families to con-tinue his work among us. He became our champion withaffection and a passion for our people. It came all togeth-er in writing his significant book: The Courageous Peoplefrom the Dolomites in English. While the Province wasgoing through the influence of the Irredentists, Fascismand a process of Italianization, he affirmed who we real-ly were historically…the 97% of the emigrants who came

here prior to the annexation to Italy. Inthe words of one of our people he metand was asked where he came from, heresponded.Ostrica, mi sun Tiroles! Incontrast to the Province that mistakenlycharacterized us as mirrors of what theyhad become, Bolognani reinforced ourhistorical identity. Yet he did this not inItalian but in English acknowledgingour complete Tyrolean American identi-ty and striving to have us hold on to ourheritage as such.. His book has threeparts. The first part details our historyfrom pre-historic times to the annexa-tion. The second part is a biography ofFr. Eusebio Chini, the extraordinaryJesuit missionary from the Val di Non,

practically overlooked and forgotten by Europe. Heexplored the South West and Mexico, was a cartograph-er, agronomist, a holy man, a defender and champion ofhis Indians…and thus officially designated by the USA:the Father of Arizona. Thus he gave us in Chini a signif-icant history and connection to the USA equal to that ofthe Pilgrims. The third part details our Tyrolean commu-nities, their work, their struggles, and their associations. Itwas research, data…our sociology here in the USA. Hewrote several other books: one about Fr. Chini and theother about our people’s often chosen work of the coalmining. Father Bolognani’s focus and emphasis and dis-tinction of our Tyrolean American community inspiredand is reflected in the Filo`. It follows in the foot stepsand pathway of this patron of ours.

Accordingly, I am happy to announce that we will bedoing two very special things to celebrate and honor thisgreat man. In the very near future, we will have his out-of-print book on the Filò website…filo.tiroles.com. OnAugust 31, we will do a sensational thing to honor him.We will move his bust created by our community in 2007from Palazzo Geremia to be rededicated in the townsquare of Cavedine. There will be presentations bynotable persons and government officials of theProvince, journalists, the Franciscan friars, his relativesand an American delegation including Past President ofITTONA Eugene Pellegrini and current President, BenManganzini. Stay tuned…we will provide you a summaryin the fall.

“Father Bonny,” Our Champion“Father Bonny,” Our Champion

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Bust of Father Bolognani

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Family Stories: Lewis Scaia Family Stories: Lewis Scaia ewis Scaia was the son of the Tyrolean emi-grants from the Giudicarie valley: my nonnoAngelico from Prezzo e my nonna CarlottaRadoani from Condino. Angelico was the son

of Domenico Scaia who came to Solvay in 1887 recruit-ed as had been so many from his valley to work forSolvay Process. In 1922 Angelico, Carlotta, my fatherLewis and his sister, my Zia Mary left Solvay andreturned to Condino. A year had passed and my nonnomoved his family back to Solvay and returned to his jobat Solvay Process until his retirement.

My father was a character who had character. An episodeoccurred in Prezzo, that might have been a political com-mentary or a revelation of what people of that valleywho suffered so much in the war really felt about theirnew state. The photo displays Italian dignitaries andscores of children all raising their hand in a Fascistsalute…with the exception of my dad (left lower sidemarked by an X) who in contrast defied everyone andwould not salute putting his thumb to his nose. A yearhad past, the Scaia family returned to Solvay. Lewis grewup attending Solvay Schools. He took classes at SyracuseUniversity while he worked in the Electric Departmentfor the Village of Solvay.In 1941 he Married Rose Cartoliand a year later was drafted into the Army. Deployed toEurope, he saw action in Alsace Lorraine. The followingyear he was stationed in Ortzal, Austria. There occurredyet another episode that revealed the character of mydad. When granted a five day pass, Lewis Scaia, theAmerican soldier knew exactly what he would to andwhere he would go. He would return to Condino. A fullday of travel took Lewis on a beautiful trip from Merano,to Bolzano and Trento. Many roads were destroyed, andbridges were blown up so that it made travel almostimpossible. Lewis was determined takings rides from

LL GI's, civilians, and local delivery trucks. At one point heroad for miles on the running board because the truckwas filled with people, no room for him. The last leg ofhis trip was difficult; he stood in the middle of the roadnot letting cars pass without asking for a ride. Lewisnever gave up, he was exhausted, but determined to reachthe village. After a full day of travel, late that evening,Lewis arrived in Condino for a long awaited visit. The30- year-old had arrived 22 years later to the day that heleft Condino.

Word traveled quickly and soon residents from Condinoand neighboring villages came to talk to the Soldier fromSolvay. "I got stuck in the piazza today, there were overone hundred people pulling on my shirt and my arms,”said Lewis. People asked about loved ones, family andfriends back in the village of Solvay. The mail service wascut off during the war, so everyone lost contact duringwar time. Lewis was glad to hear and see that Condinoand surrounding areas were spared destruction. He wassad to hear that an American plane had, crashed into theconvent in Condino months prior to his visit. The friarsthat were inside the convent were killed, and many oth-ers were injured. TheAmerican soldier flying theplane parachuted safely toan area near Condino. Thelocals kept him hiddenfrom the Germans for near-ly four months. He wasgrateful to all who cared forhim and kept him safe.Lewis was sad to see hisvisit come to an end, butthere was good news wait-ing for him at his base. In afew weeks, Lewis wouldreturn home to the states.He brought back to Solvay many letters, wishes, and hugsto worried love ones. He remained in Solvay working atSolvay Process/Allied Chemical and as a part-time townpolice officer. Rose and Lewis raised two children, Judyand Daniel, in the very home where he grew up. Activein many local organizations, Lewis spent a great deal oftime with family and friends at the Solvay Tyrol Club.Lewis never forgot his family and friends from theGiudicarie Valley. Written by his daughter Judy Scaia Malone, Syracuse, NY

Officer Lewis Scaia -- 1945

hen our emigrants left the Val del Chiese,they lived the poor and difficult life ofpeasants yet they lived in the shadows ofroyalty. The Val del Chiese was the cradle

of the Lodrons, the ancient feudal lords who ruled theselands unchallenged for eight centuries, eight centuries ofpublic history, of victories and defeats, of honors anddishonors - the history of a family, born in the back-woods, which made its way to the tables of the mighty,thanks to the feats of its members: men of arms, bish-ops, diplomats. Popular tradition dates the family back tothe time of the First Crusade. Not surprisingly, then, theevents related to such a noble family reached its peak inthe fifteenth century It marked for a long time the fate ofthe Valley, leaving testimonials still tangible in this tor-mented and glorious period, castles, palaces and legendsaround them and their mythical occupants have flour-ished. They set forth from Lodrone, then a village of afew houses which overlooked the plain formed by theChiese river as it bursts into the Lake of Idro, and theyarrived in faraway places - first in the Adige valley, theninto the Sudtirol, thence into Austria and Bavaria, with abranch extending southward toward Brescia.

The palace in Concesio, where the future Pope Paul VIwas born, once was home to a Lodron nobleman. TheVal del Chiese was part of the Principato of Trento, afeudal state ruled by the Prince Bishops. The Lodronwere their vassals. Today, Lodrone boasts a thousand orso inhabitants and has acquired a sizeable piece of land.Little evidence remains of the presence of the counts.There are some ruins at the rock of Santa Barbara andtwo privately owned homes - the palaces of Bavaria andCaffaro - which have not been preserved over the cen-turies. Two other castles remain in the valley. The first isknown as the 'Rocca de summo laco' (fort on the biglake) or as St John's Castle and it dominates the Lake ofIdro from its rocky crag. The other castle is CastelRomano in the village of Bono. Each has its own myste-rious baggage of legends and historical facts, paintedagainst a backdrop spattered by blood. There is the taleof the countess Dina, who seduced, and then murderedher lovers at Castel Romano. Among the true tales is thelife of Marco de Caderzone. A century before his birth,his ancestor Pietrozotto acquired some land inCaderzone and fathered four illegitimate sons. He wasfollowed by Paris 'the Great', whose son Giorgio wasMarco's father. The infamous Marco was beheaded in

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The Valley’s Royalty: The LodronThe Valley’s Royalty: The Lodron

beheaded in 1490 on the piazza of the Duomo in Trento,by order of the reigning Prince Bishop. The exploits ofMarco are widely recorded in the local archives. Therewas an unsuccessful assault on Castel Corno in 1474.After that, Marco retreated to Rendena where he led thegood life, even as he murdered, poisoned, blackmailed,assaulted, and terrorized the populace. His familydefended him, but it could do only so much - Marco wasarrested in 1488 when it was discovered that he wasinvolved in a plot to wrest control of the Giudicarie andthe Sole valley from the Prince Bishop. Bringing honor tothe family is Paris, the bishop of Salzburg, who to thisday is remembered as one of the most enlightened rulersof Mozart's city. A musical genius himself, he gave les-sons to two little Lodron countesses. Two centuries ear-lier, another countess, Anna, became the bride of GeorgFrundsberg, commander of the Lanzichenecchi who ter-rorized most of Italy and sacked Rome in 1527. Eightcenturies of glory and then a sad decline. Other resi-dences remain at Nogaredo near Rovereto, at Gmund inCarinthia, and the Trento palace is now the seat of theregional administrative tribunal. What does remain is theConventino, which is situated within the palace groundsand has a long history. The Conventino was built around1550 by Count Sigismondo Lodron. From 1580 to 1601,it was the seminary for the local area. From 1601 to 1918,by a strange twist of fate, it was transformed into a resi-dence for the soldiers who guarded the borders. Sic tran-sit gloria mundi…thus fades the glory of the world. Written by Giuliano Beltrame, school teacher for manyyears, Director and President of the of SocialCooperative, Cassa Rurale and Familia Cooperativa, anda contributing writer to the Adige newspaper

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The Art of the Val del Chiese The Art of the Val del Chiese t bears repeating that the art that our families and ancestors viewed was not in classic museums. Art wasviewed in the shapes of their churches, the mosaics, murals, statues and shrines. Hence, here some of the artis-tic images seen and enjoyed by our people….

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was a seminal publication that has had special significance for Tyrolean Americans.Written in 1981, it was reprinted 5 times and distributed to 10,000 of our peoplethroughout the USA by the dedicated and zealous Gene Pellegrini of Chicago, thenPresident of ITTONA. His book has three parts. It first details our history from pre-historic times to the annexation. There follows a biography of Fr. Eusebio Chini, theextraordinary Jesuit missionary from the Val di Non, practically overlooked and for-gotten by Europe and then officially designated by the USA: the Father of Arizona giv-ing us in Chini a significant history and connection to the USA equal to that of thePilgrims. The third part details our Tyrolean communities, their work, their struggles,and their associations. It was research, data…our sociology here in the USA. Hebecame our champion with an affection and a passion for our people. It came alltogether in writing his significant book: The Courageous People from the Dolomites in

English. While the Province was going through the influence of the Irredentists, Fascism and a process ofItalianization, he affirmed who we really were historically…the 97% of our emigrants who came here prior to theannexation to Italy. In contrast to the Province that mistakenly characterized us as mirrors of what they had become,Bolognani reinforced our historical origins and our American identity. Yet he did this not in Italian but in Englishacknowledging our complete Tyrolean American identity and striving to have us hold on to our heritage as such. Nolonger available it can be easily read by going to the website http://www.mondotrentino.net/multimedia/ These links will be placed on the Filò website: filo.tiroles.com.

Special Announcement…The Courageous People of the Dolomites written by Father Bonifacio Bolognani

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The Tyrol Club of Solvay The Tyrol Club of Solvay or Tyrolean emigrants, Solvay was a populardestination point due to the many manufactur-ing jobs in and around Solvay, which is locatedin upstate New York adjacent to Syracuse.

One of the primary factories was the Solvay Processchemical plant (later Allied Chemical). The emigration ofTrentini continued over several decades, establishing alarge community of Tirolesi in Solvay, with most com-ing from the Vali di Giudicarie and from the Avio areaeast of Lago di Garda. The first formal assembly tookplace in October 1929, when several of these emigrantsgathered to create the Tyrol Brotherhood Club. Twentynine men assembled at Bagozzi’s Hall on Milton Avenueand they became known as the charter members of theClub. However, the core organizers are generally creditedto ten men who are remembered as our “FoundingFathers”. They were John Scaia (Cologna, who becameour first president), Paul Tarolli (Castello Condino),Frank Boldrini (Prezzo), Primo Tarolli (CastelloCondino), Sylvester Maestri (Prezzo), John Mazzocchi(Condino), Joseph Pellizzari (Daone), Guido Mabboni(Avio), Abraham Tarolli (Castello Condino) and AntonioMarascalchi (Cimego). Their purpose was to create “anassociation that shall be for the advancement and thepromotion of the general welfare of the Tyrolean Colonyonly .... and the stimulation of brotherhood to theseends”. Soon after the creation of the Club, with a globaldepression going on, a group within the Brotherhoodwas established – the Franz Josef Society, named afterthe former ruler of the Austrian Empire. Their purposewas to provide aid to fellow Tirolesi who were sick, dis-abled or out of work. The Society continued until the1970’s, when it was decided they were no longer neededand disbanded. The Club had been created, but itsgrowth and strength was aided by another core ofTyrolean emigrants. In 1938 the Tyrolean Women’s

Auxiliary was formed. Angie Capella was president andthe other officers were Margaret Maestri, MargaretBalduzzi and Elena Bome. They are a vital segment ofthe Club to this day. Some interesting notes: The originalfee was $1.00 and dues were $0.25. Many early meetingswere held at Caminolli’s Hall where rental was $15. Mr.Bagozzi was paid a fee of $1 for use of his hall. By thesecond meeting a constitution and by-laws were adopted.English was approved for printing of the by-laws in addi-tion to the “mother tongue.”A password (Liberty) wasrequired for admission. When membership grew to 136,admission of new members was temporarily closed. By1933, “Brotherhood” was dropped from our name as itwas changed to the Tyrol Club of Solvay. In 1946, theland for our present club was purchased and the buildingwas completed in 1949. Highlights from our historyabound: The Alpine Choraliers were formed in 1964 and,under the direction of Mary Frizzi, performed our nativeTirolese songs for over 24 years. Monthly polenta dinnershave become a staple event that routinely attracts over270 people to eat polenta and reminisce. In 2008, ourClub hosted the ITTONA convention which broughtTirolesi/Trentini from around the world to Solvay inwhat has been regarded as one of the most successfulITTONA conventions ever held. We have always had astrong social core and have had club-sponsored dances,annual picnics, softball, bocce, pitch & pinochle and golffor our members. For the past 10 years, we have a smallgroup that meets regularly to continue our traditions bypracticing our native dialect. Our club has become a vitalmember of the community and has generously donatedto many local organizations, youth groups, schools andlibrary over the years. In memory of those who camebefore us and with the expectation for those who will fol-low, we continue. Written by Bob Cazzolli, Past Presidentof the Tyrol Club.

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Preparing for the Monthly Polenta Dinner

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Leggende: Church of the Forty DeadLeggende: Church of the Forty Deadhe year 1630 was a terrible one - one of thoseyears which pass into history not because ofwars, battles or victories. No, it was the yearof the plague! At that time, forty men of

Castel Condino were drawn to Venice to pursue theircommercial ventures. But they were surprised to find thatthe plague had preceded them - there were many quaran-tine stations and the dead and dying were everywhere!They quickly did an about face and returned to their ownterritory. But, arriving at the gates of Castello, the peopleof their town stopped them and prevented them fromentering the town. The fear of contagion was strongerthan any familial bond. The unfortunate group was des-

perate and pleaded so much that they finally were able toarrive at an acceptable compromise. The men promisedthey would not set foot in the town, but would adaptthemselves to living in a large cavern on the slopes ofMount Melino. The townsmen promised they woulddeliver a daily supply of food and water, being very care-ful to keep their distance. And so the plan was carriedout, and the town was divided into two separate parts -the town itself and the cavern. Unfortunately, however,

the plague was unforgiving and one by one the fortyyoung men sickened and died. As long as they were able,the survivors buried their dead. The last man to die wasburied by his relatives after there was no longer any riskof contagion.At the end of this sad episode, forty cross-es were raised around the cavern on Mount Melino. Andthen an extraordinary event occurred. That first winter,the first snow covered villages and mountains but sparedthe plot of earth where the forty crosses had been plant-ed. In fact, from the forty graves sprouted forty splendidlilies which, despite the bitter cold, bloomed until springarrived. Everyone hailed the miracle and it was decidedto set a large cross over the field. Later a small chapel waserected on the site, and still later, a fine and properchurch was built. It was named the Church of the FortyDead. To this day, the road leading to the church is trav-elled by the faithful who come to ask for the intercessionof the forty young men who died of the plague.

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Verena De Paoli majored and specialized in the conser-vation of the cultural heritage of the Trentino. She haspublished eight books on the topic and has recited thesestories to her four children.

Illustration of the Black Death from Toggenburg Bible

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Introduction to the Val del Chiese Introduction to the Val del Chiese he valley takes its name from the RiverChiese. The valley is the lower part of theGiudicarie – “Interiori.” The valley of thechurches has been inhabited since prehistoric

times as evidenced by the numerous archeological find-ings at high altitude in the mountains and on the hills thatoverlook the valley then swampy and uninhabitable.Then it was occupied by the Gauls Cenomani thatmerged with the Jar, commonly known in Roman timesas the Nets won by stepsons of Augustus Drusus andTiberius. The Christianity arrived there with the preach-ing of Faustino and Jovita patrons of Brescia . Under theguidance of St. Ambrose of Milan , then came St.Vigilio, but organization of the Church after theCarolingian domination the valley was mainly in theTrento diocese. Civil valley belongs to the 1027Principato of Trento in a constant confrontation withthe power of Count of Lodron..A borderland, the valleyof the Chiese river can tell many tales of being trampledupon by various armies on their way to conquering citiesand states. A few examples: the Lanzichenecchi comingdown from Germany, and crossing the valley in 1527 ontheir way to sacking Rome; the Napoleonic armies at theend of the Eighteenth Century and into the Nineteenthand the Austro-Hungarian and Italian forces which con-fronted each other here during the Great War. Thereremain many mute reminders of this last conflict. In par-ticular, there is the line of forts near Lardaro. Of the fiveforts constructed between 1850 and 1914, there remainthree. Two of these, Larino at the end of the valley, andCorno, overlooking Praso, have been restored and visi-tors may enjoy their imposing beauty. As a grim reminderthat, between 1915 and 1918, this was the scene ofbloody battles, there is the memorial cemetery of Bondo(known locally as 'El Monument') which is the final rest-ing place of 700 soldiers. The silence which we experi-ence here, under the canopy of the trees, serves as awarning against all wars. More memories of the war canbe found at the museum in Bersone, founded and main-tained by a group of volunteers. Here are gathered thou-sands of items from that conflict - tiles, cartridge-hold-ers, helmets, uniforms, grenades and guns.

In this valley, in the 1960's, the first industrial develop-ment occurred. Large establishments sprang up in thesouthern portion of the valley, between Darzo, Toro andCondino. There was a time, starting in the 1970's andthrough the next few decades, when several companies,

branches of multinational giants, employed hundreds ofworkers. But after the crisis of 2008, only small, pre-dominantly local companies remain, each hiring a fewdozen workers. The valley of the Chiese is also a pas-sageway. It is the corridor traversed by the tourists head-ing for the ski slopes in Rendena during the wintermonths. In summer, vacationers pass through on theirway to Pinzolo and Madonna del Campiglio. In certaincenters along the corridor, the tourist may dine and/orspend the night. Tourism has flourished along the lakes -on the Lake of Idro, at Baitoni on the Trentino shore,and at the little lake of Roncone. In the splendid valleyof Daone, where once the waters of the Chiese wereused to transport logs to the sawmills, the waters nowfeed the hydroelectric plants. Because of the availabilityof water, for the past 25 years agriculture has reboundedin the lower part of the valley, particularly around Storo.A cooperative was formed for growing corn and its suc-cess has resulted in the increased popularity of polenta inall its traditional recipes. One local variant is 'polenta car-bonera', a dish which calls for the addition of other localproducts such as butter, cheese and salami. Since we haveended up in the kitchen, another local specialty should bementioned. Known as 'Capù,' 'Capus,' or 'Capugn' in thevarious local dialects, it is a stuffing made of cheese,bread crumbs, herbs, and sometimes garlic or raisins,wrapped in a cabbage leaf, or in a grape leaf.

Written by Giuliano Beltrame, school teacher for manyyears, Director and President of the of SocialCooperative, Cassa Rurale and Familia Cooperativa, anda contributing writer to the Adige newspaper

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e e

Val del ChieseVal del Chiese

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Solvay Memories Solvay Memories hen Lou Brunelli contacted me to writean article for a Filò issue about ValGiudicarie, he asked me why people inSolvay have such exuberant passion and

love for Solvay and their Tyrolean heritage. “Is it thememories?” he asked. I believe it is treasured individualmemories. It’s also collective memories that describe theSolvay Process Company’s system of benevolent pater-nalism and the Tyroleans’ role in the making of aremarkable village.

In 1990, nearly a quarter century ago,my book, Smokestacks Allegro: The Storyof Solvay, a Remarkable IndustrialImmigrant Village (1880-1920), was pub-lished. As I note in my preface, in1976, my grandfather died and mystepfather was paralyzed by a severestroke. Both men had been expert

wine makers. One day, while in the basement, I noticedspider webs covering the grape press and felt sad. It wasthen that I decided to tap the memories of Solvay’s oldpeople, so as to record their tales of a time now past thatshould not be forgotten.

The story begins with coinciding events. In the late1800s, the Belgian Solvay brothers, Alfred and Ernest,worked long and hard with the Hazard family andWilliam Cogswell of Syracuse, New York to establish theSolvay Process Company, the first chemical industry inthe United States. In 1873 and 1882, Austria sufferedmajor depressions and Tyroleans prepared to leave theirhomeland in search of work. Frank Boldrini gave a valu-able example of the “chain migration” process. He firstexplained that his cousin Candido Maestri and a coupleof other fellows left the village of Prezzo in ValGiudicarie and arrived in America in 1879. Candido puthis boss in touch with his uncle, Frank Maestri, to whom

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I spoke English. Boldrini concluded with pride, “Theywrote to my uncle and said, ‘Come over then. Bring allthe men you can with you.’ 1884. He come over with 44men. And they went down the Solvay Process. That’sthe reason we accumulate here like we are now.” At first,most men came to Solvay without their wives and chil-dren, lived as boarders, and enjoyed their wine and grap-pa. Before the women arrived, social investigations inSolvay and around the country found crowded, unsani-tary living conditions in company towns.Somecompanies maintained that immigrant workersneeded new attitudes, values, and habits in order to sur-vive industrial society and benefit factory production.Rather than chastise employers for their habit of takingboarders, the Solvay Process Company simply acceptedthe habit and improved the conditions. As stated in aPost Standard article, “Realizing the necessity for hous-ing single men and the desire of man families to conducta boarding house in order to reduce their own expenses,the company has had designed a special type of housewhich will provide for about ten single men and a familyof five. Like other industrialists, Hazard outlawed alco-hol on the job, but he allowed its sale and use anywhereelse in the village. The Solvay Process Company helpedassimilate Tyroleans while allowing them to preservetheir customs, pride, and strong kinship network.

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Just as Tyroleans stuck together in the community, theycontinued to stay together and win the respect of theemployers at the Solvay Process. According to SantinaTarolli, when her husband started working at the SolvayProcess, he was working with Tyroleans and sons ofTyroleans.” Giulio Leonardelli said he worked with “allTrentini.” Lyndon Tracey, one of the engineers explainedthe cleaning gang had a reputation as “an absolutelyastoundingly capable maintenance crew.” He continued,“They had a great loyalty to the Company and wouldrush in and repair things in nothing flat. Amazing.” Likeworkers in other industrial towns, Solvay’s Tyroleansfaced great risks, including fires, accidents, explosions,entering sewers, working overhead, suffocation from car-bonic acid gas, and poisoning by carbon monoxide. Yet,they proudly persevered. While the Homestead,Pullman, and United Mine Workers strikes occurred, theDepartment of Labor asked Frederick Hazard to explainSolvay’s model of strike-free industrial relations.

In 1902, a Syracuse newspaper interviewed Hazard aboutwhy no strikes occurred in Solvay. “The Solvay ProcessCompany,” said Hazard, “spends a considerable sum ofmoney each year in furthering the interests of itsemployees and considers itself fully repaid by the careand devotion of its employees.” The Solvay Process pro-vided workers with everything from shorter hours, high-er wages, and health benefits to pensions, profit sharing,and recreation facilities. Mrs. Hazard made welfare worka family affair and founded the Solvay Guild to raiseadditional money to benefit employees. ThoughTyroleans couldn’t attend exclusive Guild Hall affairs,they could participate in employee activities and opendances. Tyrolean Zina Artini, from Agrone in ValGiudicarie, said the Company sometimes hosted squaredances. Artini explained, “They had music and they’dtape out, we’ll say maybe all of Milton Avenue. Nothin’could pass no more, and there we used to dance, right inthe street. 1915.” At Solvay, Hazard’s system of benev-olent paternalism was truly successful. While dissatisfiedworkers picketed in front of factories, Solvay folks andTyrolean families were dancing outside the plant.

In 1920, when the Solvay Process Company joined fourother chemical companies to form Allied ChemicalCorporation, many aspects of Hazard’s paternalismended. Yet employee loyalty continued and Solvayremained strike-free until 1950. The Solvay Process hadfacilitated the Americanization of Solvay Tyroleans andallowed them to keep their proud heritage. Just asTrentini in Italy have guarded their autonomy, so too

have those in Solvay. In 1909, there was talk of Solvaybeing annexed to Syracuse and Louie Scaia said people inSolvay feared annexation would have resulted in “a lossof many of their own individuality.” In 1986, inresponse to Allied announced shut down, the topic ofannexation arose again. At that time, Solvay MayorWilliam Campagnoni said, “Our residents find thatthinking totally unrealistic and certainly of no bene-fit…All we ask is a chance to do as Solvay has alwaysdone: control its own destiny.” Still today, SolvayTyroleans cherish individual and collective memories--and are proud of their village and heritage.

Written by Rita Cominolli, M.D., who has a Historydegree from Yale and an MD from McMaster Universityin Ontario, Canada, has worked as a health care writer fornearly 30 years. The daughter of Tyrolean immigrants,she grew up in Solvay, N.Y

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Family Stories: Nonno Sabastiano Family Stories: Nonno Sabastiano y Nonno is Sam Sabastiano (Chiaraceva) Bugna. He was born in Bersone(Val Giudicarie) on August 22, 1879.Sam came to America in 1898 at the age

of 19 and settled in Pennsylvania – but no one knowsfor sure. We do know that sometime later he receiveda letter from a friend informing him that a fellow wascourting his girl Bortolomea back home in Bersone.Sam hopped a ship back to Italy, had Bertha pack a bagand took her off to America via Southampton,England. No one was sure how they arrived inSouthampton, but on the ship to America, they gotmarried in 1904. Bertha was also a Bugna, the wholetown of Bersone is Bugna, but Bertha was a Colandi.

Nonno was a stone mason, a brick layer. He helpedbuild the Bell Tower in Creto which is still standing.Besides living in St. Louis, MO, where my mother Rosewas born in 1906, Nonno never lacked for work. Duringthe Depression he worked for a sewer contractor inChicago which is still in existence today. Nonno built“catch basins” in Chicago and was supposedly the high-est paid brick layer. It took two laborers to keep himsupplied with brick and mortar. Nonno and Nonna livedat 1145 S. California in Chicago. There they owned ahouse and a lot – the latter my grandmother convertedinto a flower and vegetable garden. Nonno used to set abird cage to catch the birds which my Nonna wouldslaughter, clean and make into the greatest stew andpolenta. Nonno ate the birds and I ate the heads.

Remember, I was between five and ten years old. Iremember my mother telling me that she and her bestgirlfriend (Diana, they were friends until their deaths intheir 90s) would wait for Nonno to come out of the tav-ern on Sunday and ask Nonno for a nickel so they couldgo to the show (movie) – Rudolf Valentino was playingand the show was two for a nickel. During Prohibition, Ido not know where, but Nonno had grappa, and wouldtravel around the neighborhood selling it. He would takehis wheelbarrow, place the grappa on the bottom andthen place sand, cement and tools on top; and whensomeone would ask him where he was going, he toldthem he had a side job on the next block. He probablygot the idea from the story about the pregnant women ofVal di Cembra. In 1934, Sam and a group of Trentini hada meeting and formed the Trentini Alpine Club ofChicago. Sam was made president and served until 1946

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After that, the Club gave him the title of PresidentEmeritus, “a title of love that was never given to anyoneelse.” Later his grandson (me) became president, and hisdaughter Louise became president of the Ladies Club.No one knows of Sam’s education but he had to have alot of courage and common sense and a great personal-ity. Everyone who knew him, liked him. I never heardhim holler or swear; or ever saw him drunk – althoughhe liked his beer. I remember seeing him sprinkle hismortar with beer to temper it up a little. When Nonnaand Nonna moved to Downers Grove, he had a fewacres. But instead of setting bird traps, he shot themwith a .22 rifle – which I now own (and it still works!).No, I do not shoot birds. Nonna always cooked forNonno. He ate steak; the children ate chicken. OnceNonno told me that the first time he ate an olive he tieda piece of string to it. I asked “why?” He said “in caseI don’t like it I can pull it out!” Quite a story for a sevento 10 year old! Nonno played the accordion and con-certina. I do not know where he learned or if he couldread music. In 1950, he brought back from Italy a 120bass La Stradellina accordion for his son Louis whoplayed extremely well. I now own the accordion andmaybe someday I’ll pick it up and see if my fingers“remember anything.”That’s all I remember about Sam. Iwonder what my grandchildren will remember about me.Maybe my train room? That’s all folks! Written by Eugene Pellegrini, Past President ofITTONA for 22 years.

Luisa Bugna, Nonno Sebastiano Bugna.Louis Bugna. Bertolna Bugna,Rosa (Serafina) Bugna

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Family Stories: The Maestri’s Family Stories: The Maestri’s rezzo is one of the paesi of Pieve di Bono inVal del Chiese, which is part of the larger Valdi Giudicarie. This is mostly recounted fromstories and information from my Nonna Betta,

who was Silvio’s oldest daughter and child. BisnonnoSilvio was born in Prezzo in 1896 and was of the ‘Bonat’Maestri’s. In 1920 he married Liduina Balduzzi, also ofPrezzo. In 1922, Nonna Betta was born in Prezzo. Dueto the difficult times, Bisnonno Silvio immigrated toAmerica in 1923, leaving behind his wife, who was preg-nant with Zio Silvio, and Nonna Betta, who was thenonly 1 year old. Bisnonno settled in Solvay, New York onWilliam Street and found employment at Church &Dwight. He worked to save enough to bring the rest ofhis family here and sent what he could back to them. Itwasn’t until 1934 that the rest of the family came toSolvay, after which they had their third and final child,Zia Mary, a year later. Growing up in Prezzo at that timewas very difficult for everyone, but especially for Nonnawith her father in America and a young brother to helptake care of. She had vivid recollections of those earlyyears, especially with so little to eat - having to go out inthe darkness of early morning to guard their chestnuttree so they wouldn’t lose any and have enough to eat;gathering apples and bringing them home to Bisnonna;the same meals almost ever day – black coffee madefrom grinds of barley and fava in the morning, polentawith a piece of cheese for lunch and soup with home-made noodles and sometimes chestnuts, turnips or pota-toes, for supper. They had a goat, but whenever it had akid, it would be sold, so they had no meat. There weresome exceptions like the Feast of San Giacomo, whenthey would have chicken or rabbit and maybe some eggs.Even fruit was fairly scarce, and Nonna always loved herfruit, almost with a passion. She didn’t have her firstbanana until the boat trip to America and then didn’tknow you had to peel it before eating. The other vividmemory she had was how damp and cold it was in thewinter. Her feet were always cold because the wood-soled shoes didn’t provide any warmth. She used a “scal-daletto” (in our dilect...la monica)under the bed sheetsto get them warm. Other times, she slept at her zia’shouse with the cows in the hay because it was warm. InAmerica things were better, but even that started out-tough. Bisnonna Liduina didn’t want to come toAmerica, but was forced to when Bisnonno threatenednot to send any more money. Then in Solvay, Nonna hadto get to know her father who she had never known.

Nonna grew up onWilliam Street and thenSummit Ave., which iswhere I can rememberher. Bisnonno Silviohad a heart attack inthe 1940’s, so everyonehad to find work wherethey could to supportthe family. We nevergot to know Bisnonno– he died in 1950 at theearly age of 53. ButSolvay was a goodplace to be becausethere was work andthere were a lot of Trentini, especially from the Vali diGiudicarie and in particular Prezzo. There were a lot offamily and friends that made Solvay, and especially EastSolvay, a unique Trentino community that made adjust-ing easier. Bisnonna Liduina wasn’t a good cook – shenever had the chance to practice it I guess. So NonnaBetta learned after she got married to Joe Cazzolli (whowas from Tione) from Bisnonna Ester, who had been ahead cook at Terme di Comano near Tione. Nonnaended up being a great cook, making up for everythingshe lacked as a child. We loved going to her house to eatpolenta e gallina, polenta di patate, uze scampe’, strango-lapreti, gnocchi di patate and risotto. She always hadsomething good to eat. Zio Silvio was a really tough guyand looked it too. He broke his nose as a kid when apriest was chasing him and he fell, so that made him lookeven tougher. He never married, but he was always goodto us kids, especially in his later years. He worked hiswhole career at the Solvay Process like others in Solvay.But like his father, Zio Silvio died early at the age of 61from a heart attack.Zia Mary was the only one in thefamily born here and she lived with Bisnonna Liduina thelongest – until she married Louie Nicolini (from Daone)and finally moved out. Nonna and Zia lived next door toeach other for over 50 years, so they stayed close andmade it nice for family visits and get-togethers. My par-ents and we kids have all grown up here, but we got somuch from our nonni and bisnonni. We thank for ourTyrolean heritage and all they gave us by making thathard move from Prezzo to Solvay. Through their hardwork and love for us all, we will always have great mem-ories. Written by Gina Cazzolli - granddaughter

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Sitting: Elizabeth (Betta), Mary,Liduina; Standing: Silvio & Silvio Sr.

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Nos Dialet . . . Our Dialect # 8Nos Dialet . . . Our Dialect # 8ur dialect was the distinctive sound in our Tyrolean homes in the paesi..the villages. It came to the USAand lived on in the homes and kitchens and gatherings of our people. The Americans could not under-stand them nor could the Italians. The moleti from the Val Rendena even developed a separate lan-guage, il Taron, as they traveled up and through Europe…to keep distinct and separate as did the

mountains and valleys in the Tyrol. It is quite challenging to really teach it; there is no curriculum with grammar, syn-tax and vocabulary. All the valleys have the basic dialect with differences in pronunciation and some words. Severalweeks ago na veciota (an endearing way to describe an older lady) called me from the state of Washington. We spokein dialect for 10 minutes…She then interrupted our dialogue and exclaimed…Ma, Louis…che ben che te parle ilnones.” Translated…how well you speak Nones. I laughed to myself since I was just speaking the ordinary dialectof the Val delle Giudicarie…But the nonesi have this conviction that their dialect is like none other…Hence, inMinnesota two years ago at ITTONA, a group of Nonesi challenged me to a test out of their sense of exception-alism. They gave me a vocabulary spot quiz of 20 words…I got them all right, a pat on the back…and possibly theyhad a notion of how much we share in common.

Let’s look to the illustrations on the opposite page, observe their labels of the items. Starting from the top and goingleft to right…We will cite the dialectal word in the illustration and literally translate it into English. The Italian equiv-alent will not be cited. These words and nomenclatures are derived from the dialect around Tione.

Fogolar/the fire placeParol (over the fire)/potBanca del foch/bench flanking the fireMoi/pinchersPaleta, pala dal foch, dale brase/ash shovelSopion/fire stokerCadena dal frogar, dal foch/fire chainAnel/chain linkRampin/pot holderGradela/grateMarmita/pot

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DIALECT SHOW & TELL #1 La Cosina-the Kitchen

Manach/handle Cavra dal foch/goat of the fire (handirons)Brusin, brustolin/coffee & orzo toasters Manecia/handle Scandia/CredenzaCogoma/coffee potRamina/brass pot Caza/ladlePadela/(font.fond-interior /cul[bottom]ass)Cogome/coffee pots Manach/handle

Pugnata/pot Trpè/3 feet Raspet/scraper Pala/oven peelPomol/knob Caset/drawerQuert, coert/pot coverCazdrel, crazdel/copper pot (water)Cop/cup Piat/plate Padela/ladleCochirol/coffee pot spoutPegol/Foot (on a pot)Lavec/Bronze pot with 3 “feet”Pila/pilota….granite pestle used togrind coffee, toasted orzo and othergrains

The panera…called the mesa in some valleys is a quasi bread machine. Theimage in the circle is As del Pan…the bread board seen in the illustrationon its reverse side which is used to knead the bread. The As del Pan isalso the cover or the top, placed above the chest cavity. The kneadedbread loaves are placed in the cavity, covered with the bread board,kneading side down. Then with the handle…it is lifted and placed nextto the fornella, the stove so that its heat will help the loaves rise. Whenbaked, the bread loaves were placed in the cavity as a bread bin. Theportela is the dialect word for doors. The flour and kneading tools wereplace in the lower compartment

My mesa next to the bread oven in my home in the Bleggio

The illustrations opposite are those of Helene Lageder; they appear in the Dizionario del Dialetto di Montagne di Trento by CorradoGrassi, produced and distributed by the Museo degli Usi e Costumi della Gente Trentina, San Michele all`Adige

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Immigrants-The Depression YearsImmigrants-The Depression Yearshe Quota Acts of the 1920's put an end to themass migration of Italians and Tyroleans tothe United States. From that point forwardour immigrants into the USA were counted in

hundreds each year, and in some years only dozens -never again would there be thousands. And economicdevelopment had changed in the States. After the FirstWorld War, the thrust was on internal growth with result-ant high salaries. But in 1929, things changed drastically.The crisis unleashed by the collapse of the stock marketbrought American might to its knees. An emigrant,Giuseppe Angeli, wrote to his relatives in 1930, 'Beadvised that the poverty in this land is great; seven milonpeople are unemployed.'

First prices plummeted, then production levels fell inevery sector of the economy, from agriculture to indus-try. In 1932, industrial production fell 50% and workers'salaries decreased by 65%. As early as 1929 it was esti-mated that there were 400,000 jobless, but the job mar-ket bottomed out in 1933 with 15 million unemployed.This meant that for the general public, and therefore forthe immigrants, there was deep poverty. For some itmight mean malnutrition and even the return of diseaseswhich had almost been forgotten in prior years, liketuberculosis. The USA at that point was on the verge ofpopular uprisings. Only 'revolutionary' politics wouldsave the day and put the country back on the road to eco-nomic and social recovery, the road which ultimately ledto the United States becoming the major economic andmilitary power of the whole world. This was the NewDeal, the politics launched by President Roosevelt andinspired by economist John Maynard Keynes.

For the Tyrolean immigrants the crisis was long and dev-astating. From the mining town of Bradycamp inPennsylvania, where 90% of the workers were fromBleggio and Lomaso, Luigi Benassutti wrote 'We work aday or two every fifteen days. Five days of work a monthis considered a lot.' It is clear that in such conditions,income was very low and the company could takeadvantage of the workers. Only sticking together,becoming 'union men' could guarantee a minimum ofprotection. 'The union guarantees us a fixed rate of pay,job security, a pension, and compensation in case of sick-ness or accidents on the job'. While living conditionswere not splendid in the past, the higher salaries allowedfor some savings. But there was usually no electricity inthe poorer homes, no running water, and whatever waterwas available had to be boiled before drinking.The roadswere just dirt roads. While schools were always available,they were often at a great distance, a distance which thechildren had to walk each day. With the depression camegreater hardships and hunger. Mothers had difficultyproviding warm meals for their families.

Things got better only after 1934, and by 1935, theUnited States was setting new production records andtherefore, a better life for the workers. But it was not justthe Great Depression which brought thousands ofTyrolean immigrants to the brink of desperation. Thewhole process of migration normally puts the individualworkers, their families and even their whole social struc-ture, into a situation of rapid changes. They had to seekand quickly find new methods of coping with everyaspect of their new life - a different climate; a new lan-guage; new foods; often new religious traditions; newlaws, both civil and moral; the new look of the worldwith its big cities, etc. Often they had to take up a newtrade or adapt to new methods in their old trade. For theimmigrant this process of adaptation, integration andassimilation would be long and painful. And on this tor-tuous road many would lose the battle and either have toreturn to the old country or live on the margins of soci-ety in their new land.

With the Great Depression, naturally, everything becamemore difficult for the Tyrolean immigrannts in the States.The worker who had been striving to attain a decent wayof life was summarily set back to Square One!

Here let us summarize the dozens of letters which

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Enrico Bortolotti, of Drena, wrote in the years between 1919 and 1933, to his wife, whom he had left in theTrentino with their children. The man suffered fromrheumatism, a condition which caused him to be hospi-talized several times. He had arrived in the USA in 1914,probably to avoid service in the war, but also to accumu-late funds he needed to pay off a debt he had incurredwith a fellow townsman. From his arrival until 1933,when we lose track of him, he existed on 'light work atlow pay' from California to Chicago. These were terribleyears for Bortolotti, a life of hardships. With only a fewdays of work each month and in poor health, he had toresort to public and private assistance and probably tothe charity of friends and acquaintances.

With anguish in his soul, he wrote home in 1919: "Mydearest wife, yes, you are right to reproach me, but pleaseknow that our situation is not due to lack of good inten-tions on my part. I love you more than myself, but ourpoor hearts will suffer for the rest of our lives in thisworld, all due to my lack of good fortune, and the inabil-ity to earn a piece of bread in this land of trials and tribu-lations." And again, "to tell the truth, I can't rememberanything. It seems that I Have been in this miserableAmerica for 100 years."

Eleven years later, in 1930, Bortolotti had still not foundthe American way, though he was still trying. In the midstof the Great Depression, he wrote "This cursed crisis! Iam always going from one employer to another like amadman, seeking work. But no one hires me. Why?" Andyet again, almost at the point of madness, "the lack ofwork and the difficulty in finding a job in these hardtimes..... Believe me, it has not gone well for me. Theunemployment and my ill health have ruined my dreamof providing for you as I would have wished. I confessthat I have had to borrow money, but rest assured that Iwill pay my debts as soon as I find work".

By 1933, this poor worker finally saw a glimmer of hopeand he wrote to his wife: "Here the working relationshipbetween worker and capitalist has not yet been welldefined, but Roosevelt has a strong arm and takes care ofthe poor. We hope therefore that this crisis will end, orthere will be a big revolution. Pay rates have been set at$14 a week and nothing less, but Roosevelt taxes this pay.His intent is that no one should die of hunger, so I hopeI will be able to find work".

We don't know how Enrico Bortolotti's tale ends.

Possibly his life ended tragically in America. Sadly, wenote that after so many hard years, he wrote to his wife:"We brought to America only our arms and our brains,but our hearts remained in the little houses and beautifulmeadows of our Italy!" And lastly, a sweet, yet tragic cryfrom the heart to the soulmate he had left in theTrentino, who had given him children and who was hisonly beautiful memory: "If you only knew how much Ilove you, you would be content despite all our hardships.If I could fly into your arms for just one day, I would bethe happiest man in the world. But if, in the end, this isnot possible, we will meet in Paradise."

The professional and human trials of the man fromDrena are not the average experience of our emigrants inthe USA. The continuing traffic between the States andthe Trentino testifies to the fact that many found whatthey sought - work and income, a home of their own andthe possibility of providing a brighter future for theirfamily. Others accumulated enough savings to bring backto Italy, perhaps buying some land, or opening a smallbusiness, and almost always, fixing up the old homestead.Some achieved fame and fortune in their new land. Butall among the tens of thousands who left the Trentinobound for the United States, had to suffer the separationfrom their home and family and a long period of adap-tation to their new society. Among other trials they hadto suffer the feeling of being 'different', looked upon asstrangers, and at times treated as 'inferior'. But in the endthey won the battle.

Renzo Grosselli is a noted journalist ofL’Adige the main newspaper of theTrentino. He has researched the historyof emigration from the Trentino and haspublished the book L’Emigrazione dalTrentino dall Medioevo all Prima GuerraMondiale (Trentino Emigration from theMiddle Ages to the First World War).

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Mountains of the Val del ChieseMountains of the Val del Chiesehe Chiese River springs from the Vedretta gla-cier on Mount Fumo, a 3,418 meter peak, onthe southern side of Adamello. The river trav-erses the valleys of Fumo and Daone, where

it has been harnessed for hydroelectric purposes, creatingthe lakes of Bissina and Boazzo.In this area, the highestand most characteristic peak is the Carè Alto which, at3,642 meters, is surpassed in height only by Adamello.The pyramidal shape of this lovely tonalite-rock moun-tain is unmistakable, with four defined flanks on thenorth, south, east and southeast. On the north and eastof the Carè Alto are the glaciers of Lares and Niscli,joining in the frozen cap at top. This is the route usuallytaken by climbers. On the southwest, the mountain takesthe form of a sheer wall which can be admired from theFumo valley. The name of the mountain is derived fromthe name of a plant, 'Carex Curvula', which carpets thepeak above 2300 meters.

The first ascent of the Carè Alto took place 150 yearsago. Two Britons, Sedley Taylor and Hugh F.Montgomery made a first attempt on August 4, 1865 butdid not reach the top until their second try four dayslater on August 8, climbing from Borzago-Sella di Nisclion the northwest face. The Rev. Taylor, born in Kingston-on-Thames in 1834, was a member of the Alpine Clubof London. He died in 1920. Hugh de FellenbergMontgomery, also a member of the Alpine Club ofLondon was born at Fivemiletown in 1844. In 1922, hewas elected a senator in Northern Ireland, but died twoyears later. A few years later, on September 3, 1868, theBohemian official Julius Payer, repeated the ascentaccompanied by Johann Haller, a hunter from SanLeonardo in Passiria, and two infantrymen of theAustro-Hungarian army: Griesmayer from Val Pusteriaand Corona, a native of Primiero. A few years after thisclimb, Haller would accompany Payer on an Arctic expe-dition to map out a Northeast Passage, eastward over thetop of Russia to the Bering Sea. Another famous alpinistfollowed these well known climbers. On August 26,1873, the English explorer Douglas William Freshfieldreached the summit with friends I. Ritchie and R. Ritchie,along with the alpine guide Francois Devouassoud andlocal guide Bonifacio Nicolussi of Molveno.

During the First World War, the Carè Alto was in themiddle of a war zone, where Italian Alpini battled thesoldiers of Emperor Franz Joseph. Between the refuge

cabin 'Dante Ongari' and the top of the peak, a hugeSkoda cannon was positioned. It is still there today! Alsonear the cabin is the characteristic little church, built byTurkish prisoners of war in 1917, and dedicated to theMadonna of Lourdes. Climbing along the glacier, it is notunusual to come upon detritus from the war: bombs,pieces of huts, munitions, etc. Great care should be takento avoid contact with these objects as they may still bedangerous after 100 years. Also, if left undisturbed, theyserve as a resource for historians of that era.

Climbing to the top of the Carè Alto requires both tech-nical and physical preparation and it is best left to theexperts, or at the least with the help of an Alpine guide.The climb to the refuge huts is much less difficult. Theascent to the Carè Alto refuge (built in 1912) is tiring, buttakes under four hours. An easier and more pleasantexcursion takes the climber to the Val di Fumo refuge,inaugurated in 1960. Starting out from Daone, this is acomfortable jaunt of about an hour and a half, windingat times along the beautiful Chiese river. And just belowthe refuge, there is the Val di Fumo dairy station, wherethe climbers can enjoy both the excellent cheese and theview of cows and horses grazing in the Alpine pastures.

Riccardo Decarli (Biblioteca della montagna-SAT,Trento) Riccardo knows the mountains that he presentsto us first hand. Hew just published Guida ai Rifugi delTrentino, where he describe the 151 “rifugi” in theTrentino. The book is available from Panorama diTrento: editrice_panorama@iol.it (www.panoramalibri.it)

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The Great War in the Val del ChieseThe Great War in the Val del Chieseorld War I was a bloody and unnecessarywar that involved feuds of the rulingfamilies who were found in the gover-nance of the various countries. On June

28, 2012, the flame that ignited a chain of events was theassassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand ofAustria in Sarajevo. It caused a chain reaction; a monthafter, on the 28 of July, Austria declared war on Serbia.Germany joined on the Austrian side while France,England and Serbia were their declared enemies. Twodays after, on July 31, Austria mobilized its subjectswhich included the whole Sud Tirol or the Welsch Tirolof that day or the Trentino of today. The able bodiedmen throughout the Tyrol were conscripted into theAustrian army. Three successive drafts followed in

October, the winter andthe spring. Our peoplewere specifically con-scripted into the TirolerKaiserjager and wereimmediately deployed toGalicia (Poland/Russia ofthat day) where theyfought bravely and diedin great numbers. In itstypical historical fashion,Italy remained at the win-dow – alla finestra –deciding which side topick so that it joined withFrance against Austria

ten months after on May 23 in 1915 thereby making theVal del Chiese a war theater, a front of the great war.

To follow the movements and stages of the conflict, onecan refer to the centerfold map. May 24, the Italian armygathered just below Caffaro, the boundary between theTyrol and Lombardy…Italy. The day after they seize con-trol of Bondone. The week after they entered Storo, thenCondino and Brione as well as those villages that wereevacuated by the Austrians: Cimego and Castello. May20th, took a fortified stand in Lardaro dividing the valleyin to while evacuating the villages north of Condinoplacing them in the Val Rendena and the Bleggio. Theentire Valley of Ledro was evacuated to Bohemia in theCzech Republic. Roncone’s evacuation followed on

December 13, 1915 to the areas just above Tione as wellas Val Rendena and the Bleggio of the Val delleGiudicarie. The people of Bondo and Rancone remainedin their villages along with all the great number ofAustrian troops and of prisoners mostly Serbian whowere used to build cable apparatus up the mountains andcreating trails up and through the surrounding moun-tains. In Bondo and its surrounding area, there was set upa mess hall, the police force, an infirmary equipped as alittle hospital, baths, a movie theater, a miller, eight breadovens, a butcher, a saw mill and troop barracks.

On June 5th, the Italian command cleared Condino andBrione and its people were evacuated to area ofAlessandria in the distant Piedmont, Italy. Storo wasnever evacuated since the mountain shielded them fromthe bombardment from Lardaro and the village peoplewere needed to assist the resident troops. The engineercorps of both combatants constructed dug out caves,barracks, mule trails and passable roads on these slopesstill used to this day. Italian forces preferred the roads inthe valley bottoms while the Austrian forces constructedelaborate system of cableways to supply their troopsscattered on the slopes and peaks of the mountains

WWEditor’s note: The Austrian forces and troops were none other than our very own people, families and paesani.

Forte Corno-Praso

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Except for the first months of the war with constantartillery barrages as well aerial attacks, the war was hard-ly waged. The combatants suffered from a long war ofmaneuver, hidden like serpents in their rock hideouts andtrenches and the mud that swept down from the moun-tain sides, the flooding of their hideouts in the snows andglaciers. For three years, the territory of the valley wasdivided…and the valley was seriously hurt. November 4,1918 the weapons were silenced with the armistice signedin Padova. The massacre had ended and the Tyrolbecame the Trentino, an annexed Italian territory.

The war left so many scars and wounds difficult to heal:the many killed and injured on the eastern front inGalicia in the service of the Emperor, the housesdestroyed or seriously damaged. Many were in exile fromBohemia to the Piedmont to the neighboring valleys.There were difficult consequences of living side by sidewith the Italian troops in their villages creating a very dif-ficult adjustment accustomed as they were to their pre-ferred Austrian administrators and culture. There weremany physical traces throughout the valley: forts andartillery installations, the barracks and barbed wire, the

trenches throughout the valley…at its base and through-out the mountain slopes, the dugouts in very rocks, themountain trails and roadways, the structures that servedas hospitals of the encampments, and the cemeteries ofthe fallen soldiers.–

The Great War was felt and lived in the very persons ofthe valley. This historical heritage has been embraced bythe various municipalities who have collaborated torestore the physical evidence of the war with restorationsof several forts as well as offering excursions, tours, pre-sentations, displays, publications and other culturalevents. The Ecomuseo of the Val del Chiese is theagency, organizer and promoter of the appreciation ofthis unique history experienced by the Valley. 2014 is the100th anniversary of the Great War and is being remem-bered and celebrated throughout the Trentino butnowhere as intensely as in this valley. A complete listingof its activities and resources can be found on its websitewww.ecomuseovalledelchiese.it

Written by Maddalena Pellizzari e Aurora Mottes -Ecomuseo della Valle del Chiese

Bersone’s Museum of the Great WarBersone’s Museum of the Great War

The Village of Bersone has created its very own museum of the Great War. Itsexpressed purpose is to remember and bear witness to the tragedy, misery and suf-fering endured by the soldiers and the local population during that tragic period ofhistory. A guide provides explanations of the memorabilia on display in the varioussections: bombs, guns, rifles, knives, kitchen field utensils, camp cots, sleds, skis,sniper shields, uniforms, bottles, ink wells, helmets and hats, gas masks and thefloor plans of the Lardaro fortifications. There are reconstructions of a highmountain hut for lookouts and the entrance of a tunnel leading to the shelters andstorage areas on the high terrains. Recently, the Province printed a limited amountof a booklet in four languages celebrating the centennial of the Great War. One canaccess it in a pdf format on the web. The narrative is an itinerary of the differentlocations where the war was ranged in the Tyrol now Trentino. Go tohttp://www.mondotrentino.net/multimedia/

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I Proverbi: Wisdom StoriesI Proverbi: Wisdom StoriesThe following proverbs are specific to the Val del Chiese. Chi capis compatis. Chi capisce, compatisce e non condanna. Who understands is sympathetic.

"L’é mäi än bu polsù che n bu bocù. Vale di più un lungo riposo che un pasto abbondante per riprendersi dalla fat-ica. A good rest is worth more than a huge meal to recover from fatique.

Chi che ne gä có gä gambe. Chi non ha testa ha gambe. He who forgets things has legs to go back and find it.

Äl l’ä magnà fò a le braghe. Ha venduto anche i pantaloni. He spent everything he had.

L’é cargà de lägna vérda. È carico di legna verde. He is a dummy loading up with green wood.

De san Bastià l’é sü lä cä däl soldà. Il giorno di S. Sebastiano (20 gennaio) il sole ritorna a illuminare la casa. OnSebastian’s day (January 20) the sun returns to illumine the house.

Lä cä npatatà ne l’é mai famà. La casa con buona scorta di patate non conoscerà mai la fame.The household that has enough potatoes (food) will never be hungry.

L’é mäi än bu polsù che n bu bocù. Vale di più un lungo riposo che un pasto abbondante per riprendersi dalla fati-ca. A long rest will cure your fatigue more than a sumptuous meal.

Benedetti – from the name Benedetto, referring to the cult of St. Benedict from Norsia, reduced to the plural “con-secrated, blessed by God.” Found in many valleys of the Trentino.

Cazzolli – possibly from Cassuffo from the Celtic Catu. Possibly from the dialectal word cazzol, a wooden spoon

Maestri – nickname for one who holds ofice or for someone consiered a guide or expert in some specialized craftor profession. Val delle Giudicarie; 1126 Conradi Magisteri-Trento; 1296 Ognibene del magistri, Condino.

Scaia – from the scaglia which means layers, flakes, slivers, chips. Could also refer to a mortar used in plastering walls.Mainly in Val delle Giudicarie.; 1222 Odorico Scaiosus; 1228 Scayda a Storo

Tarolli – has as its base TAR meaning rock. Val delle Giudicarie: 1446 Giacomo Tarolli di Fontana; DomenicoTarolli, 1797-1882, Castel Condino, missionary

The Origins of Trentini NamesThe Origins of Trentini Names

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Alberto Chini, Presidente of Father Eusebio Chini Museum, Segno, ItalyAlberto Folgheraiter - Author, journalist and specialist in Trentino cultureChristian Brunelli - Technical ConsultantTomaso Iori - Bivedo, Val di Giudicarie-Curator of Museo Scuola, RangoGiorgio Crosina - Director, Phoenix Informatica BancariaIvo Povinelli - Director - Federazione Trentina della Pro Loco e loro ConsorziJim Caola - Genealogist, nutritional counselor, macrobiotic chef, Daniela Finardi - Communications Department -- Museo degli Usi e Costumi della Gente TrentinaManuele Margini - Phoenix Bancaria InformaticaRiccardo Decarli - Biblioteca della Montagna-SAT, TrentoRenzo Grosselli - L`Adige, Journalist, AuthorVerena Di Paoli - Writer, Researcher, ScholarAlexander DeBiasi & Danielle Benedetti - Trentino Sviluppo SpA - Department for Tourism and PromotionVerena Di Paoli - Writer, Researcher, Scholar, TerlagoVeronica Coletti, Teacher, Bronx, NYStefano Miotto - Phoenix Informatica BancariVittorino Tarolli, Bersone, Val del Chiese

Alberto Ianes, Museo StoricoRita Caminolli, Rhinebeck, Bob Cazzolli, Syracuse, NYMary Benedetti Kryck, PAEugene Pellegrini, Chicago, ILJudy Scaia Malone, Syracuse, NYDario Donati, Val di LedroGiustino Ghezzi, Daone, Val del ChieseGiuliano Beltrame, Darzo, Val del ChieseMauro Armanini, La Polentaera, Storo, ItalyAurora Mottes, Ecomuseo della Val del ChieseMaddalena Pellizzari, Ecomuseo della Val del ChieseGiusi Tonini, Vice-Mayor of Storo, Val del Chiese Vittorino Tarolli, Bersone, Val del Chiese

Front Cover: Pietro LattuadaPage 5: Archivio della Federazione Trentina della CooperazionePages 6: Museio degli Usi e Costumi della Gente Trentina; Flavio FaganelloPage 10: Mauro Armanini; Bob CazzolliPage 16: Bob Cazzolli Pages 20-21: Trentino Sviluppo SpA -- Department for Tourism and PromotionPage 22-23: Rita CaminolliPage 27: Helene Lageder - Dizionario del Dialetto di Montagne di Trento of Corrado Grassi, Museo degli Usi eCostumi della Gente Trentina, San Michele all’Adige Pages, 13-15, 31-33, 36: Archivio fotografico del Consorzio Turistico Valle del Chiese, dell’ Ecomuseo della Val delChiese e del Comune di Storo

Our sincerest thanks to Giorgio Crosina and Phoenix Informatica Bancaria for making thedistribution of the Filò possible throughout the United States.

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